Foundation Certificate AAT Accounting

A minimum of 5 GCSEs at grade 4 or above (including English Language). Level 2 vocational qualifications (e.g. BTEC/OCR) must be a merit grade or above and only one will count as one GCSE equivalent.

A grade 3 in English Language is accepted for this course providing you have a grade 4 or above in English Literature. You will also need to enrol on English Language GCSE alongside your A-levels.

GCSE Mathematics at grade 6 or above

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Exam board: AAT

90%of all work-related junior qualifications in Accounting are completed with AAT

This internationally recognised qualification is designed for students who intend to work in accounting after their studies at St Brendan's or university.

The Foundation Certificate is designed to prepare you for junior roles in accounting firms or in the finance department of most general businesses.

Find out more about the many benefits of studying with AAT by visiting the official website here.

Course Content

Foundation Certificate in Accounting

You will be learning how to use accounting software, how to record a range of financial transactions, how to verify your book-keeping records, deal with simple costing methods and learn how to work effectively in a finance environment.

Methods of Teaching and Learning

Accounting is a practical skill and lessons will be spent practising how to record information in the books of accounts and learning how to check your records. You will also learn to use Sage, a well-known accounting package.

Method of Assessment

After studying each unit you will be assessed by an AAT computer based assessment/test. In each year there are four unit assessments plus one ‘end of level’ assessment which assesses your knowledge of the whole year’s knowledge and skills. In each assessment students must get at least 70% to pass and must pass all assessments in the year to be awarded the qualification. Grades achieved for each unit assessment and the ‘end of level’ assessment are used to determine the final grade for the level - Pass, Merit or Distinction.

Important: AAT rules state that if a 16-19 year old student does not pass an assessment first time they are allowed only ONE resit opportunity. If they do not pass the resit they cannot complete the qualification.

Resources

All teaching resources are prepared by experienced AAT teachers. In addition there are revision materials and practice assessments provided by the AAT through their online platform that students will have access to.

Entry Requirements

You are required to have five GCSE passes at grade 4 or above or the equivalent from 4 subject areas including GCSE English. Mathematics at grade 6 or above is also necessary to join this course.

Additional Costs

Students will need to pay an annual membership fee of around £95 to become a member of the AAT. Retake fees for the assessments (if needed) are also payable and currently cost around £45 per unit. Students receiving a Bursary may be able to have these costs paid from Bursary funds.

What next?

Students are likely to be highly employable by businesses offering apprenticeships or training contracts and they will be keen to support them in completing their accounting studies.

This course if taken as part of an Access to Level 3 programme will provide a great foundation for those choosing A-level accounting as part of their Level 3 programme